Vise grip



F. JOHNSON.

VISE GRIP.

FILED MAY7, 1920.

Dec. 26, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WIT/YES s A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

m STATES FRANK JOHNSON, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

VISE GRIP.

- a neetion' filed May 7,

To allwhom'z't'mm concern:

Be' it known that I, FRANK JoHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vise Grips, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in Vises, the primary object of the invention being to provide a device 'Which obviates the necessity of executing the tiresome turning of the usual screw employed in Vises in order that theadjustment of the jaws may be quickly and easily accomplished.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a jaw having a bar associated therewith, and means which are caused to bind upon the bar .when the latter is turned, thereby locking the jaws in the desired adjusted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which is strqng, durable, inexpensive to ;manufacture and highly eflicient in practice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application and wherein like nu- 3 3o merals are employed to designate like parts throughout the severalviews, j

- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lnvention Figure 2 is a top plan of the same, the

3 stationa'ryi jaw being shown in longitudinal section V I Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion .of the stationary jaw illustrating the cam means Figure5is an elevation of the cooperating cam and locking means, and 1 v Figure 6 is aview'illustrating one of the looking elements associated with its bar. 1

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 7 designates the movable jaw which consists of a back plate 8, and a face plate 9, riveted at its upper edge to the upper end of the back plate whereby a spacing block 10 may be plates at their lowerends. This construc- I ,tion provides an exceedingly light and du positioned between. these twov 1920. Serial No. 879,566.

rable jaw. pair of spaced parallel guide rods 11 extend transversely through the movable jaw and are secured thereto by \neans of nuts 12. A polygonal bar 13, in the present instance being square in cross section is disposed an equal distance between the two guide rods 11 and arranged in spaced parallel relation thereto. The forward end of the locking barorelement 13 is reduced as shown'in Figure 1 whereby it is rotatably connected with the movable jaw 7 and adapted for the reception of an enlarged 'headl4: WhlCll carties the usual gripping handle 15.

The stationary aw of the. vise is designated in its entirety by the numeral 16 and consists of spaced, parallel face andback plates 17 and 18 respectively, both of which' are equipped inthe present instance with l three openings for the passage of the guide rods 11 and the locking bar 13. The openmg 19 in the face plate 17 which receives the locking bar 13 is an enlarged circular opemng to permit rocking movement or rotationof the locking bar. The opening 20 in. the back plate 18, through which the bar 13' is adapted to extend, is of a circular shape to receive a rotatable bushing 21, the flange 22 of whichengages'with the relative forward face of the back plate 18 and consequentlyprevents rearward movement of the bushmg. This bushing snugly fits on the locking bar whereby the latter is rotatably and shdably associated with the stationary aw. Y

A chamber 23 is "formed between the two plates of the stationary jaw by a web member 24 having its transverse edges secured i to the plates 17 and 18 in any desired manner. The free longitudinal edges of the web 1 member 24 are designated ,by the numeral'25 most clearly shown in Figure 3, and are bent outwardly for the purpose of securing the stationary jaw to the under side of the bench top, while the face plate 17 of the stationary jaw may be secured in a counter sink in the front edge of the bench top in a manner well understood; From this, it will be apparent that the-movable jaw 7 may be adjusted with relation'to the stationary jaw, by simply pushing o'r pulling upon the ripping handle so thatthe locking bar sides through the stationary jaw.

In orderto lock the two jaws in any desired position and the locking bar against movement I have provided means within the stationar jaw to bind against the locking bar 13. 'l his means consists of a locking element designated in its entirety by the numeral 26 and which consists of a plurality of plates or washers 27. Each plate 27 1s equipped with a square opening 28 larger free from the locking bar and consequently no binding action is set up. However, when the plates are disposed at other angles with relation to the locking bar, the edges'of the openings 28 in the plates 27 engage with the locking bar and set up a binding actionwhich prevents movement of the bar and consequently movement of themovable jaw 7.

In order that the angles of the locking ele ment may be governed-by the turning of the locking bar=13, a cam element 29 1s positioned within thechamber 23 to surround.

the bar, and is maintained in position by lateral extension 30 of the cam member extending through slots in the web'member 24, which holds the cam element in engagement with the face plate 17 of thestationary jaw. As seen most clearly in Figure 4, the juncture-of the highest and lowest-portion of the cam element isprovided' with an abutment or stop 31 to limit the turning move;

ment of the locking bar. A coiled spring- 32 is positioned upon the bar '13 withinthe chamber 23, and one end of the coiled spring abuts with the adjacent plate 27 of the looking element, while the opposite end of the spring abuts with the flange 22of the bushing 21, whereby the locking element 27 is normally urged into engagement with the cam element 29. The plate 27'adj'acent the cam member has its side edges 33 beveled off 50 as o reduce ,frictiontherebetween and the cam element. a

When the locliing bar is in a .position;to. cause the locking element'to engage with the lowest portion of the cam, the openin through the locking plates permit rea y movement of the lockm' bar whereby the movable jaw 7 may be a justed the desired distance from the stationary jaw. When the proper adjustment hasv beenbbtained, the locking bar is turned until thelocking elemeht, 26 engages the stop 31 at the highest part of the cam element, this of course causing the edgesof the openings 28in the locking plates 27 tobind against the look ing bar and consequently prevent movement stationary-jaw.

-Letters Patent is of themovable jaw, or in other words, the

movement of the locking bar through' the stationary jaw.

A noteworthy feature of the invention is that fine adjustments may be made with this improved device b simply rocking the locking' "bar back an ad ustment has been obtained. As the bar is'rocked, the locking element is caused to.

travel toward the highest part of the cam and to bind againstthe locking bar and consequently move the latter so' that the movable jaw approaches the stationary jaw. Then, as the shaft is rocked back to its original position, the locking element travels toward the lowestpart of thecani and at the same time releases its binding engageforth until .the desired 1 ment with the locking barthereby permitting the latter to remain in its new, ad-" ju'sted position. By continuing this operation it will be apparent that any fine adjustment may be obtained. Inorder that the locking bar and" uide rods will not slide entirely through t e stationary jaw to become disen aged therewith, a ,-cotter pin 34,011 any other suitable abutment is provided-upon the extreme inner end of the locking bar to abut with the backplate 18 of the stationary jaw when the movable jaw is disposed its maximum distance from the The fore oing description and the draw i-ng hasire erence" to the. preferred. or ap- '9 proved form. of my invention. It is'to be understood however, that such changes may be made in the construction and operation, 7

of parts, materials, dimensions, et c., as may prove expedient and fall within the scope g i of the appended claims.

" Having thus fully describ invention and desire to secure by what I claim as new 1. In avise,the combination, 'a'movable jaw comprising a face plate and a back plate, a pairof parallel spaced guide rods passing through said jaw, a spacing block secured'to said rods between said face and back plates, a-polygonal locking bar dis- "ably associated'with the movable jaw, a

handle conneeted with said locking bar, a stationary jaw including parallel front and 'posedbetween said guide rods and rotati i is back plates, each having a plurality of openfings' for .the passage of said-rods and bar, 1 a bushing held in one of' saidgopenings formed 'in.-tl 1e back plate to receive said locking bar, a locking elementv includin a plurality of plates mounted on said locking bar for rotary movement therewith, a chamber formed between said stationary jaw plates, a cam disposed about said'locking bar and secured within said; chamber, said cam lhavinga stop to limit the turning.

movement ofsaid bar, and an expansion springon sald bar in said chamber engaging the bushing and said locking plates, whereby said plates are held in engagement with said cam at all timesfirrespective of the adjustment of said locking bar.

2. A quick adjusting vise comprising a rigid jaw including a face plate and a spaced back plate, a casing secured to and disposed between said plates, attaching members carried by the casin for engaging a bench, a movable jaw, gui e rods carried by the jaw and slidablyassociated with the rigid jaw, a locking bar rotatably associated with the movable jaw and slidably and rotatably asaxially through the casing, an annular cam disposed about said bar and secured to the face plate of the rigid jaw, a plurality oflooking plates 'rockably mounted on the lock ing bar disposed Within the casing and arranged for rotary movement with the locking bar, an expansion spring coiled about said locking bar and engaging the innermost plate of the plurality of locking plates and the back plate of the rigid jaw for normally maintaining the plates in engagement with the cam, and a stop lug formed on the highest point of the cam for limiting the rotary movement of the locking plates with said locking bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. sooiated with the rigid jaw and extending FRANK JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES V. KERR, V. A. KERR. 

